Family
by SSEE729
Summary: James, Lily, and Harry are going into hiding, but James needs to talk to his best friends before he goes. He's worried about what will happen to Harry if anything happens to him and Lily and Sirius and Remus offer him some reassurance. The three have an emotional talk and are forced to face some potential realities they rather wouldn't. But, one thing's for sure. They're all family


_**This is set a few days before James, Lily, and Harry go into hiding. James invites Sirius and Remus over to make sure that if something ever happened to him and Lily, Harry would always be cared for, the three have an emotional talk, and are forced to face the potential of some realities that they would rather not. **_

_**I do not own Harry Potter or the characters. **_

"Did you ask us to come over just to stare at our faces?" Sirius said with a hint of a smirk. "Because, honestly mate, I love ya but you're really not my type."

James, who was sitting across from Sirius on the couch, simply rolled his eyes before a soft chuckle escaped. Remus, who sat quietly beside Sirius shook his head softly, but he too could not suppress a smile.

"Course not" James said, his chuckle trailing off. He paused for a second or two – a long second or two – and dropped his eyes to the floor before once again bringing them up to meet Remus' and then Sirius'.

His face was suddenly different, strained with the force of trying to become stoic, and the seriousness, the concern that came over his face was overwhelming. It seemed unnatural on his usually light-hearted and playful expression, as if someone had misplaced it.

Although they both must have noticed it, Remus was the first to speak. "What's going on, James? Is everything alright?" James picked up on the genuine concern that, like so often, filled his friend's words.

Sirius stirred in his chair, staring intently at James, but he did not speak.

"Yea, yea." James said, his strained voice not quite convincing even to himself. Sirius and Remus watched James closely, but didn't say anything. They didn't need to.

"It's just-" James started, looking from Remus to Sirius, and then paying very close attention to his own hands fiddling on his lap, "we're going into hiding soon, and –" James looked up slowly, his words trailing off.

It was quiet for several seconds before Sirius spoke.

"And . . . you're scared you're gunna miss us terribly? Well, hate to break it to you mate, but you will. That's sweet though James, honestly," Sirius grinned, clearly amused.

This time, James smiled but he did not laugh. Remus looked from Sirius to James intently.

"Course I'll miss you guys," James started. "It's just, I . . . I don't really know . . ." James' voice once again trailed off.

His expression, however, grew increasingly more distressed.

"How to have a good time when I'm not there?" Sirius asked, flashing his charming smile. "Don't worry, mate. I'm sure you and Lils-"

"Sirius"

This time it was Remus who spoke.

Sirius turned to face Remus and then looked quickly to James, his haughty grin slowly disappearing at the concern that covered his friend's face. Now he understood.

It was quiet among the three of them for a minute or so before anyone spoke. James remained starring down at his hands, and just before he spoke, he ruffled his hair like he had countless times before.

"I asked you guys to come here tonight because I have something I need to talk to you about." The light-hearted air that usually accompanied James' voice was not there. Remus and Sirius continued to watch him closely, and even the idea of cracking a joke was long from Sirius' mind.

"As you both know, Lily, Harry, and I are going into hiding soon. Dumbledore thinks it best we use the Fidelius Charm and lie low for a while, until it's a bit safer."

Sirius and Remus nodded, they had all gone over this several times.

James looked between his friends. "It's pretty dangerous for us now. If something ever –" James stopped abruptly and cleared his throat. He dropped his eyes down for a second, waited a moment, and then brought them back up to meet his friends', " – if something ever happened to Lily and I, I need to know that Harry would be well taken care of." James finished quickly, almost as if he was afraid that if he did not say it quickly, he wouldn't be able to say it all.

Both Sirius and Remus spoke immediately.

"Nothing's going to happen" Sirius said quickly.

"You guys are going to be fine" Remus said, just as quick.

James nodded softly, the trace of a smile appearing on his face. It was as if his friends had reacted just as he had expected them to. And, of course, they had.

James brought his eyes up to meet his friends' slowly, an almost pleading look in his eyes. With that meaningful look he begged them to drop the act of hopeful naivety and to acknowledge the menacing reality, because he knew that in that moment his words were failing him. He wasn't quite sure there were even words that could be said.

The three shared that look for a long while before anyone spoke, and the ways in which Sirius and Remus were looking back at James, he knew that although they would rather avoid it, they understood.

"You don't think we'd just walk away, do you?" Sirius said, surprisingly soft. He tried to muster up a playful smile, but it didn't quite work. This didn't slip past James, who pursed his lips and nodded in apology of the pain he was inflicting upon them.

"'Course not" James spoke quietly.

"We'd be there for Harry," Remus spoke softly, his usually hoarse voice noticeably more gravelly. His voice caught in his throat for just a second before he continued, and had the room not been so quiet, or were the three not as great friends as they were, it might have had a chance of going unnoticed. "He's family"

James closed his eyes at this and nodded his head firmly. He bit down on his lip, perhaps to prevent it from shaking, or maybe to hold in a soft cry. When he opened his eyes, Sirius and Remus were looking at him with great empathy.

James nodded toward them, but remained quiet. He bit down a little bit harder on his lip, and blinked hard.

Sirius reached forward and placed a hand on James' shoulder, and James brought his eyes up to meet Sirius' whose own eyes were looking intently right into James'.

"Moony's right" Sirius started. "We love the little prongs. We'd do everything and anything for him, whether-"Sirius stopped abruptly, took a deep breath, and continued, "whether you and Lily are alive or not"

James nodded in appreciation, and as emotion overtook his face, he looked away, bringing a hand up quickly to rub his eyes. He sniffed and cleared his throat, and Sirius gripped his shoulder a little tighter. Remus leaned forward toward them both.

"Hey" Sirius said casually. James' face was still buried in his hand, and he sniffed again before pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Hey, look at me" Sirius said, gently but strong. This time James lowered his hand and brought his eyes up to meet Sirius' whose never left his friend's face.

"We're family. You, you are my brother, you hear me? And Lily, you know I love her like a sister. Harry too, he's my nephew by default, lucky kid" Sirius smiled quickly his charming, reassuring smile, and James let out a soft laugh.

"And I know I joke around a lot and stuff," Sirius continued, "but in all seriousness, you have to know that I love Harry like he's my own son. You do know that right?"

James nodded quickly, and smiled at the care and compassion that was pouring out of his friend's eyes. People could say whatever they wanted, but James would always believe, always be adamant, that Sirius Black was a great man.

"I know you do" James smiled, and clapped Sirius on the back before Sirius did the same to him, and sat back down on the coffee table.

Remus, who had been quietly looking on, nodded as well. "Please know I feel very much the same way. You guys and Lily and Harry . . . you're everything to me"

James smiled, reaching out and clapping Remus on the back as well. "I know, Moony. I know. Thank you, that means a lot. It really does. I'm glad you guys are such a big part of Harry's life. It means so much to Lily and I . . . more than I can even say."

"Good" Sirius started, his smile growing. "Because Harry's stuck with us for life, whether he likes it or not"

James let out a chuckle.

"And so are you" Remus added reassuringly. "We're not going anywhere, and neither are you"

James locked eyes with Remus for a moment and as they shared the look, James found he actually believed him. There was no saying what was going to happen, whether they'd be safe or not. But, they could hope for the best, couldn't they?

After a second or two, James smiled at Remus, and then to Sirius, and found himself nodding along. "I hope so, too" He said with a smile, "I'm sure everything will be fine"

_**Thanks for reading! Please let me know whether you think I should continue on or leave this as a one shot. I hope you enjoyed it!**_


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